Reinforced-concrete cross-tie.



APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11

' Patented Feb. 15,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G1 MARSHALL.

REINFORCED CONCREIE CROSS TIE.

3 SHEETS SHEEY 'Z.

APPLICATION FILE DEC Patented Feb.,15

1 1/ (Ill ha S G. MARSHALL. REINFORCED CONCRETE caoss TIE.

APPLiCATlON F|LED DEC.' \1,I9\5

Patented Feb.

3 SHEETS --SHEET GEORGE MARSHALL, 0F FREMONT, NEBRltE-KA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ZttEINFOBOED-CONCRETE CROSS-TIE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filed December 11, 1915. Serial No. 66,293. i 1

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE MARSHALL,

t citizen of the United States, residing in Fremont, in the county f Dodge and State of Nebraska, have inve ted certain new .and useful Improvements in Reinforced-Concrete Cross-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway crossties constructed of cement or concrete reinforced by metal rods or similar reinforcing means, and the object of the invention is to provide a cross-tie of'this class which can be easily made, laid and repaired and which, while strong and durable, has sufficient elasticity and flexibility to relieve the rails and the road-bed of much of the strain to which they would otherwise be subjected. I

* Further objects of the invention .are to provide novel and efficient means for at-; 'taching the rails to the ties in such way that they may be securely held in place, tightened when required and renewed when necessary.

In carrying ,out my invention 1 construct each tie in three, sections,-a middle section andtwo end sections. Each of these sections is reinforced by metalrods and the rods of the two endsections are connected with the rods o'ftlie middle section by loops which bind the sections together but permit a. limited amount of flexibility between the sections toaflord sui-li'yient elasticity to take strains from tlie tiesniid rails.

Imount tlie'end sections on springs'which afford yielding supports for the tie and permit it to sinlcto a small extent under eavy load and to assume its normal position when the load or weight is withdrawn.

. The supporting springs are mounted on reinforced concrete blocks fixedin the road bed and the end sections of the tie have a telescopic connection with these blocks so that While the tie can move vertically, sidewise and endwise movement thereof is prevented.- The downwardly projecting flanges of the end sections of the tie, which overlap the blocks, are provided with openings permitting access to the springs and other devices below the end sections of the tie and these openings are provided with The rails are supported on plates which carry rail fastenings engaging the flanges of the rails and these plates and fastenings are secured to the end sections of the tie by vertical bolts provided with fastening devices, and the connections between the bolts, the plates and the rail fasteners .is such that the fasteners may be adjusted laterally with reference to the rails and may be tightened by devices carried by the bolts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a road bed with a portion of a railway'track embodying my improvements. line 2'2 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 3 shows an elevation of the tie made in accordance with my invention and supporting blocks therefor.

It also shows the two rails in section and Fig. t.

thetie and the manner of connecting one of the end sections of the tic with the middle section thereof. Fig. 7 is a dctailview in section on the line 7-7 of Fig. (3.

Fig. 1 shows a portion of a road bed andv a portion of a railway track constructed in accordance with my invention. The crossties are indicated at A, the rails at B, and the road bed at C. Each t e comprises two end sections a, a, and a middle section o f concrete reinforced by metal I all Insiderods a a ,itnclc The end sections are of the same shape, size and construction, while the middle section is of-a different shape and is much smaller.

while the sections are firmly bound together, a limited flexibility is given to. the tie as a whole. Any suitable material may be used for rendering the loops non-corrosive and the joints of the, sections are coveredby metal bands 7)" which serve to exclude dirt. Those portions of the rods which contain the loops may be constructed of copper, aluminum, or other non-corrosive material, and preferably those portions of the rods near the loops are twisted in the manner indicated in Fig. 6. The end sections of the tie are supported on concrete blocks D reinforced as indicated at d and'fixed firmly in the road bed. Springs E are interposed be- Fig. 2 is a section on the The rods a", rt", and a are connected by loops 1) by which means,

25, the springs and otherfixtures.

:40 against washers .77 in the usual way.

M -ill be seen by reference to Fig. 6, the bolts jalq are' formed with downwardly extending flanges 7' which overlap the blocks D and -l have a telescopic connection therewith, and in order that access may be had to the spaces gcontaining the springs and other fixtures 1,5 ,carried by the tie, the flanges are formed with openings F normally closed by sliding doors G which are guided vertically in ,-guides or grooves 9 formed in the flanges f gadjacent the openings F. The sliding doors 12 may be held firmly in place by bolts,

Kiri-vets, orother fastening devices, 9 so that lithe doors will rise and fall with the tie, but 1,; by withdrawing the fastening device the jdoor may be lifted and access may be had to If desired, the, opening in the end of each section may be: large enough to permit of the removal of ,the block Dendwise without raising the tie. so -The rails B rest on plates H which inturn ,frest on theend sections a, a, of the tie and ,these I plates support rail fastenings I of well known construction. .Bolts J extend through openings in the plates and through vslotted openings '6 inthe flanges of the rail 335 fastening and they also extend through the 1, tie sections a, a' and carry on their lower (ends adjusting nuts j which are accessible through the openings F. Lock nuts are spreferably also used and the nuts operate iare not embedded in the concrete, but ex- :tend through vertical openings formed A 1 therein. The upper ends of the bolts have ya transverse slots which receive wedge-shaped keys L, and these keys, when inserted, are held in place by cotter pins I. These devicespe'rmit the rail fasteners to be adjusted laterally to the proper extent and to r abe then held firmly in place by proper: ad-

"justments given to the nuts j and to the -wedges L. After the rails have thus been connected with the tie any suitable material vmysuch as Babbitt metal, may be poured intothe slots 2' to insure the strength and durability of' the fastening. Shouldthe rails at' any time heave or rise from the ties, shims may be applied in the usual way, and should it be necessary at any time to adjust the fastenings laterally, the material we may be out out and properadjustments I claim as my invention:

1. A railway cross-tie, comprising two end sections and a middle section formed of reinforced concrete, the middle section dle section and end sections madeof 'reinforced concrete and provided witha plurality of vertically arranged rowsqof flexible connections between their ends, and

shields which cover the joints of the sections.

4. A railway cross-tie, comprising a mid dle section and end sections having downwardly projecting flanges, a plurality of vertically arranged rows" of flexible connections between the ends of the sections, reinforced concrete blocks having a telescopic connection with the end sections of the tie and springs interposed between said blocks, and thetie.

,5. A railway cross-tie, comprising reinforced concrete members, having downwardly extending flanges provided with side openings, concrete blocks having a telescopic connection with the tie, springs mounted on theblocks and supporting the\tie, and slid ing doors mounted on the end sections of the le. g

In testimony .whereof, I have-hereunto subscribed my name. v

GEORGE MARSHALL.-

' Witnesses W. J. COURTRIGH'i, I

E. J. L 

